All this week, we've got our Eye on Kazakhstan here at CNN, 本週，在CNN頻道我們要播出《放眼哈薩克》，
home to a large part of the ancient Silk Road, one of the world's oldest trading routes that connected east Asia to the Roman Empire. 此地為古代絲路一大部份的所在地，它是連接東亞及羅馬帝國最古老的商路之一。
Well now, plans are underway to modernize that route. Have a look at this. 目前正在著手進行計畫要將此商路現代化。來看看以下報導。
You know, Kazakhstan is such a huge and vast country that you can't really experience it unless you take a road trip. 哈薩克幅員遼闊，除非你採公路旅行的方式，否則無法真正體驗這個國家。
So today, we're going to take a journey down what used to be the ancient Silk Road, where this country's constructing a new super highway. 所以我們今天就要循著曾是古絲路的路徑來進行一趟旅行，該國正要在此興建一條新的超級高速公路。
The journey begins in Almaty, the largest city and former capital. 旅程的起點是最大城也是前首都的阿拉木圖。
Pretty soon, we're making our way through the amazing mountain landscapes of eastern Kazakhstan, a rural area with interesting traditions. 我們很快就穿越在東哈薩克的美麗山區，這個鄉村地區的傳統很有趣。
A little dip in the river, more or less clothed. Turns out, this is a wedding party. 有穿衣服的、沒衣服的人們在河裡泡一會兒。原來這是場婚禮派對。
You guys after weddings go bathing in the river normally? 你們婚禮後一般都會泡在河裡嗎？
Of course, it's not our tradition normally, but we wanted to share our joy in the river and in nature with our guests, the bride's family. 當然，這不是我們平常的傳統，但我們想在河裡和大自然中與賓客及新娘的家人分享喜悅，
They came from so far away. 他們千里迢迢來到這裡。
In eastern Kazakhstan, that means a lot of vodka and fearless stunts. 在東哈薩克，那意味著大量的伏特加和大膽的驚險動作。
Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world, its population and geography extremely diverse.? 哈薩克是全世界最大的內陸國，它的人口和地貌極為多元。
Merchants passed through here on the ancient Silk Road hundreds of years ago, 幾百年前商賈經由絲路穿越此地，
and now that trade between east and west is booming again, the government has decided it needs to upgrade its infrastructure. 如今東西貿易又再次活絡了起來，哈國政府決定要提升其基礎建設。
A new highway is under construction that will span the entire country and replace many of the bumpy back roads that make travel here such a chore. 一條橫跨全國的公路正在興建當中，它將取代造成路途艱辛的顛簸小路。
Murat Kadyrov is in charge of building this section and says the new road will help boost mobility and safety.? 穆拉特．卡迪洛夫負責興造這個區段，他說新路將會提高流量及安全。
"The speed limit will be 120 kilometers an hour," 「速限將會是每小時一百二十公里，」
he says. "There will be less crashes because there are no intersections, and it will enable Kazakhstan to develop economically and give people a substantial benefit." 他說：「車禍會因為沒有十字路口而減少，讓哈薩克得以發展經濟並讓人民大幅受益。」
Kazakhstan plans to spend about $19 billion on transport infrastructure by 2014, 哈薩克計畫在二○一四年之前斥資一百九十億美元在交通建設之上。
the government says, especially on links from China to Europe, money that could help revive towns like Taraz, 哈國政府表示尤其要加強中國與歐洲之間的連結，這筆錢能使哈薩克斯坦這樣的城鎮復甦，
once a major hub on the ancient Silk Road with a rich Islamic history. 這個回教歷史豐富的城鎮曾是古絲路的樞紐。
Anna Krokosheva shows me the ruins of the old town and the tomb of its most important son, Karakhan Mohammed, 安娜．可洛柯席瓦帶我看了這座城鎮的遺跡以及最重要的子孫加拉罕．穆罕默德的墓地，
the city's governor in its heyday in the 11th century who made a major push to convert the population to Islam. 他在此鎮十一世紀的巔峰時期時擔任都督，他大力推動讓鎮民改信回教。
It was a big merchant city. The ruler of the entire state sat here. 這在當時是座很大的商城，全國的統治者坐鎮在此。
It was the capital and the city was very rich. Both Persian and Arabic scripts mention this city. 這城市是當時的首都而且非常富有。波斯和阿拉伯的典籍都曾提到過這座城市。
Kazakhstan still has a long way to go to revitalize its role as a major trade route, but the effort is underway, the transport minister tells me. 哈薩克要恢復昔日重要商路的地位仍有待努力，但他們已經在努力了。交通部長這麼告訴我。
"We have a serious policy for the development of the road infrastructure," 「我們有一套認真的道路建設發展政策。」
he says. "The Europe to Western China highway is one of the main projects. It will connect Europe and China on the shortest possible path." 他說：「歐洲通往中國西部的高速公路就是主要的計畫之一，它將以最短的路徑連接歐洲與中國。」
Today, the roads are so treacherous, most people travel by railroad. The train makes its way to our final destination, Turkestan. 目前的道路崎嶇難行，大多數人都走鐵路。火車通往我們的終點站突厥斯坦。
About a thousand kilometers from where our trip started, Turkestan was also once a major way point on the Silk Road, 此地離我們此行的出發點約有一千公里。突厥斯坦也曾是絲路上的重鎮，
and its former wealth can be seen in the massive mausoleum for Ahmed Yasawi, who made Sufi Islam popular in this region in the 11th century.? 它昔日的財富可以從龐大的艾哈邁德．耶塞維的陵墓得見，他在十一世紀時推動蘇非派回教在此區盛行。
Millions make a pilgrimage here each year, 每年有數百萬人前來此地朝聖。
and the town hopes to attract even more tourists as Kazakhstan improves the travel infrastructure, building a new Silk Road. 這個小鎮期望藉由哈薩克改善交通基礎建設，打造一條新絲路，招徠更多觀光客。